Journal of Food Composition and Analysis
The effect of the inclusion of chestnuts in the finishing diet of Celta pig breed on the characteristics of Galician chorizo, a traditional dry-cured sausage, along the ripening process and vacuum-packed storage was studied. In general, no significant differences between diets (chestnut, mixed and concentrate diet) were obtained for weight losses, chemical composition, physico-chemical characteristics, and lipolytic and oxidative parameters. A significant effect of the diet was observed on some fatty acids from total and neutral lipids, obtaining lower contents of C18:2n-6 and C20:2n-6 and higher contents of C18:1n-9, C18:3n-3 and C20:4n-6 when chestnuts where included in the diet. In polar lipids, after dry-ripening, lower contents of C18:2n-6 and total polyunsaturated fatty acids and higher contents of C18:1n-9 and the sum of monounsaturated fatty acids were found in sausages from chestnut diet. Free fatty acids profile during vacuum-packed storage changed to a larger content of C16:0. The distinction between sausages was procured when a discriminant canonical analysis was performed for fatty acid contents.
